Reclining furniture



June 10, 1958 A. M. BANK ET AL 2,838,093

RECLINING FURNITURE Filed March 17, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheetl fig Amp/Ex:

June 10, 19 58 A. M'. BANK ET AL 2,838,093 RECLiNING FURNITURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1955 INVENTORS ALEX d Afar-z June 10, 1958 A. M. BANK ETAL RECLINING FURNITURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 17, 1955 49 INVENTORS ALEEPT' M 84/? ALEX d. /(4rz June 10, 1958 A. M. BANK ETAL 2,838,093

RECLINING FURNITURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 17, 1955 m H mm W N N o ww W K 4 rd 4 AA 7 V. B

June 10, 1958 A. M. BANK ET AL RECLINING FURNITURE '5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 17, 1955 IN V EN TOR. #4 saw M 54! RECLINING FURNITURE Albert M. Bank, Jersey City, and Alex J. Katz, West Orange, N. 1., assignors to Super Sagless Spring Company, Jersey City, N. J., a partnership Application March 17, 1955, Serial No. 494,886

8 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) This invention relates to reclining furniture. It is particularly directed to a chair comprising a seat portion, a back rest portion, and a foot rest and provided with means for swinging the foot rest forwardly and upwardly as the seat and back rest portions are moved to reclining position.

An object of this invention is to provide in an article of furniture of the character described, a seat portion comprising front and back parts which are coplanar when said article is in upright position, means being provided to cause relative movement between said seat parts as said article is moved to reclining position, the construction being such that in such reclining position, the rear part of the seat has a greater inclination than the front part of the seat, whereby the upholstered portion of the seat is curved and whereby the front portion of the seat is substantially in line with the forwardly and upwardly raised foot rest, thereby adding greatly to the comfort of the person using this article of furniture.

A further object of this invention is to provide an article of furniture of the character described in which the front and back seat parts are interpivoted andin which the front seat part is connected by a link to the mechanism which interconnects the rear seat part with the foot rest for moving the front seat part relative to the rear seat part as the chair moves from upright position toward reclining position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged and durable chair or sofa of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate, comfortable in use, easy to assemble, and which shall yet be practical and eflicient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. a

This invention accordingly consists in the features construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and accompanying the same:

Fig; 1 is a vertical cross sectional view extending from front to rear of an article of furniture embodying the invention, showing one side of the mechanism which controls the movement of the seat and foot rest, and showing said article in upright position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the article of furniture in reclining position;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; l V

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig.2

States Patent 0 Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 7'

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and illustrating a modified construction;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 and illustrating another modified form of the invention;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustratinga modified construction; 7 Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but illustrating another modified construction;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of a structure shown in Fig. 14; I

Fig. 16 is a cross sectional view taken on line 1616 of Fig. 14; and

Fig. 17 is a cross sectional view taken on line 1717 of Fig. 14.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 1% designates an article of furniture such as a chair or sofa, embodying the invention. The same comprises generally a supporting frame 11, a seat 12 pivoted thereto in the manner hereafter to be described, a back rest 13 and a foot rest 14.

The supporting frame 11 comprises a pair of bottom side rails 15, interconnected by a transverse bracing slat 16. Attached to the front of the rails 15 is a front frame portion 17 supported on front legs 1%. Attached to the rear ends of the side rails 15 are rear supporting portions 19 interconnected by a rear transverse bracing slat 20 and supported on rear legs 21. The front and rear frame portions 17 and 19 are furthermore interconnected by parallel side boards 22. Said side boards are interconnected by a transverse bracing member 22a. The'frame may be provided with arm rests (not shown) if desired. The mechanism which interconnected the foot rest 14 with the seat is the same on opposite sides of the chair and both are located. at the inside of the side portions of the chair. For this reason, the mechanism on only one side will be described.

'The seat 12 comprises a front part 12a and a rear part 12b. These parts may be constructed as frames to support upholstery springs and webbing if desired, and the seat may be upholstered in any suitable manner as at 25.

The back rest 13 is fixed to the rear end of the rear seat part 12b. Said back rest may also be upholstered as at 26 in any suitable manner.

The front seat part 12a may comprise a front frame portion 27 from the ends of which extend rearwardly, side frame portions 28. The rear seat part 12b has parallel side portions 29 generally in the plane of the side frame portions 28 of the front seat part 1211. The two seat parts 12a and 12b may be pivotally interconnected by means of .hingebrackets 30 and 31 attached to the seat frame and inclined downwardly and outwardly and fixed to downwardly and outwardly inclined adjacent inner edges of side portions 28 and 29, respectively, by means of fastening members 30a and 31a respectively. Said brackets have superimposed apertured ears 3W), 31b, respectively, projecting upwardly and interpivoted by a pivot 33. It will be understood that the front and rear seat parts may be of any other suitable construction and they may be interpivoted in any other suitable manner to permit said seat parts to be in alignment, as shown in Fig. 1, when the chair is in upright position, while permitting rotation of the seat parts when the chair moves to reclining position, so that the rear seat part can acquire a greater inclination than the front seat part, for example, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The foot rest 14 may comprise a pair of parallel side angular members interconnected by a cross piece36 and the same may be upholstered if desired as at; 37;. The mechanism on each side of the seat whichinterconnects the foot rest with the seat will be designated'generally by numeral 40. Said mechanism comprises a bracket 41 fixed to the inside of each of the side boards 22. inwardly and parallel to side board 22, and inclined generally downwardly and rearwardly. Extending from ends of the web portion 42 are leg portions 43 from which extend feet 44 contacting the inner surface of side board 22'and attached thereto by any suitable fastening members 45.

Fixed to the inside of each side frame portion 29 of rear seat part 1212 is a plate 45, the same being attached by screws or rivets. Fixed to the inner side of the, rear end of each plate 45 as by screws or rivets 47 is the upper end of a lever 48. The lever 40 projects downwardly at right angles to seat part 1212. It is pivoted at an intermediate portion thereof by pivot 49 to web 42 adjacent the rear end of the latter. The rear seat part 121) is thus pivoted to the supporting frame for oscillation about the axis of the pivots 49.

Fixed to the inside of the side board 22 adjacent members 22a, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, is a block 50. Attached to each side board 22 and block 50 is a bracket 51.. Each bracket 51 has a foot portion 52 contacting side board 22 and receives a fastening element 53 for attaching the foot to the side board. Ex-

tending from the foot 52 at right anglesthereto is a leg 54 from which extends an arm 55 parallel to side board 22 and contacting block 50 and fastened thereto by fastening elements 56. Arm 55 carries a stop pin 57'for the purpose hereinafter appearing. It also carries a pivot pin 58, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

Attached to the underside of the front seat part 12a, at the end, transverse portion 27 is a bracket 60. Each bracket 60. has wall portion 61 contacting inner side of front frame portion 28 and a wall portion 62 contacting inner surface of frame portion 27. The bracket may be fixed to the front seat part as by fastening members 64. The wall portion 61 has a downwardly projecting apertured car 65 carrying a pivot pin 66.

The bracket 41 comprises a web portion 42 spaced 1 Pivoted tothe pivot 53 is the upper end of a link 70.

Said link has an upper arm 71 from whichextends at an angle thereto a lower arm '72. The upper arm 71 in clines forwardly and upwardly when the chair isin upright position, whereas the lower arm projects downwardly and forwardly. Pivoted to arm 71, as at 73, is one end' of a link 74. The rear end of the link 74 is pivoted as at 75 to the lower end of the lever 48. Arm

55 of bracket 51 also carries a pivot pin 76 located forwardly and upwardly of the stop pin 57. Pivoted to the pivot pin 76 is the upper end of a 'lever 80. Said lever 80 carries an intermediate pivot pin 81. Pivotcd to the lever 80 at a point between the pivot pin 81 and the pivot 76, as at 82, is one end of a link 83, the upper end of said link being pivoted to the pivot pin 66 on car as of bracket 60. Pivoted to the pivot pin 81 is an intermediate portion of a lever 85 which crosses thev lever 80. One end of lever 85 is pivoted to the lower end of arm '73 of lever 70, as by pivot pin 86. The other end of the lever 85 is pivoted as at 83 to the upper end of one of the side angle members 35' of the foot rest 14.

Pivoted to the lower end of lever 80 as at is one end of a link 91. The upper end of the link 91 is pivoted as at 92 to the angle member 35 of the foot rest, as at a point spaced from the pivot pin 88.

When the chair is in upright position the lever 80 is substantially vertical. It is formed adjacent its upper rear edge with a notch 95 in the edge contacting the stop pin 57, to limit outwardly swinging movement of the lever 80. It will also be noted that when the chair is in upright position, the foot rest is substantially in vertical position extending downwardly from the front end of the seat part 12a. When the person sitting in the chair leans back and presses against the back rest 13, the rear seat part 12b and the back rest swing in a clockwise direction about the pivot pins .9. Thus the lever 48 swings in a clockwise direction causing the link 47 to move upwardly and forwardly to thereby cause the links 72 to swing about the pivot pins 58 in a clockwise direction. Such action causes a closing scissors move ment of the interpivoted levers 80 and 85 which form a lazy tong construction. During such action, the lever 80 swings upwardly and forwardly about the pivot pin 76 causing the link 91 and the lever 85 to swing the foot rest 14 from its downwardly extending vertical position of'Fig. 1 to an upwardly and forwardly extending position shown in Fig. 2.

During such movement, furthermore, relative movement is caused between seat parts 12a and 1212 about the pivot pins 33. The links 83 interconnecting the levers 80 with the seat part 12a cause said seat part 12a to swing relative to the seat part 12b. Thus, in the reclining position of the chair, the seat part 12b acquires a greater inclination than the seat part 12a. In such reclining position, the front seat part 12a is substantially parallel to and in back of the raised foot rest 14. The upholstery 25 of the seat is thus caused to be curved. Thus, when a person sits in the chair, the knee portions of his legs need not extend to the front part of the seat and the leg portions from the knee down may rest partly 011 the front part of the seat and partly on the foot rest, thus making for more comfortable support.

Brake means may be provided to retard movement of the seat, relative to the supporting frame. To this end, there is pivoted to each of the plates 45 as at 100, a brake arm 101. Pivoted, as at 102, to web 42 of brake 41, is a brake member 103 having parallel aligned arms 104 at its upper end. Interconnecting the arms 104.

with the arm 101 are a pair of S-shaped spring brake members 105. Each member 105 has a- U-shaped portion 106 receiving one edge portion of arm 101 and a U-shaped portion 107 receiving one of the arms 104. Thus, when the seat moves relative to the frame, there is relative movement between the arms 101 and 103 and during such movement, friction is caused by the S-shaped members 105.

Fig. 10 illustrates a chair 10:: similar to the chair 10 discussed in Figs. 1 to 9 with the exception that the seat 200 of the chair 10a comprises a rear seat part 201 which is not pivoted to the front seat part 202. These seat parts may be interconnected by the upholstery 25 of any suitable construction. Another difference between the chairs 10 and 10a is that while in the former the front seat part is connected by a link 83 to lever 80, in the latter the front seat part 202 is connected by link 205 to the link 74 which connected the lower end of the lever 48 to the link 70. When the chair 10a is in upright position, the chair parts 201, 202 are coplaner. However, when the chair is moved to reclining position, the link 205 pulls the front seat part 202 down relative to the seat part 201 as illustrated in Fig. 10 of the drawing.

In Fig. 11 there is shown a chair 10b similar to the chair 10a with the exception that the front seat part 202 is connected by a link 206 to the link 70 instead of to the link 74. i

In Figs. 12 and 13 there is shown a chair 10c illustrating another modified form of the invention. The chair 10b comprises a supporting frame 300 which may be of usual- Attached to the inner surface of side wall 301 on eac side of the frame, is a bracket 208 somewhat inclined forwardly and upwardly. The bracket 308 has foot portions 309 fixed to the inner surface of frame wall 301 as by screws 309a. Extending forwardly from the feet 309 are parallel walls 310 interconnected by a web portion 311 parallel to wall 301. Pivoted to the web 311, as on pivot pin 31.2, is an upwardly extending arm 313, fixed at its upper end to a bar 314. The bar 314 is fixed, as by screws 315, to a rear seat part 316. The rear seat part 316 is pivoted as at 317 to a front seat part 318. v A chair back 319 is fixed to the rear end of the rear seat part 316. The chair back 319 may be upholstered as at 320 and the seat parts 316, 318 may be upholstered as at 321 in any suitable manner.

interconnecting arm 313 and bar 314 is a brace 324 fixed thereto in any suitable manner. Attached to wall 301 and disposed forwardly of bracket 308, is a bracket 325. Pivoted to the bracket 325 as on pivot pin 326, is a lever 327. The lever 327 has an arm 328 extending upwardly of the pivot pin 326 and a second arm 329 extending to the other side of the pivot pin 326. The lever 329 may have a bend therein, thus forming portions 330 and 331 disposed in angular relation to each other. The upper end of arm 328 is connected by link 333 to bar 314. An intermediate portion of the arm 331 of lever 329 is connected by link 334 to the front seat part 318. Pivoted to the bracket 325 as at 335, is a lever 336. Pivoted to the outer end of arm 329 of lever 327, as at 337, is a lever 333. -The levers 336 and 338 are interpivoted mediately at the ends thereof, as at pivot pin 339. The outer end of lever 338 is pivoted as at 340 to the upper end of a foot rest 341. Said foot rest is connected by link 342 to the outer end of lever 346 as at 343. The foot rest 341 may be upholstered as at 344 in any suitable manner.

It will now be understood that as a person sitting on the seat of the chair 13b reclines, the back seat part 316 together with member 313 will rotate in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 12, thereby causing link 333 to pull against the upper end of lever 327 to cause it to rotate in a clockwise direction about the pin 326. Such movement will raise the foot rest to the position shown in Fig. 12. Also, through the action of the link 334, front seat part 318 will be caused to move in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot or hinge 317 relative to the rear seat part 316. When the person sitting in the chair moves forwardly to sit up, the seat will come toward horizontal position and the foot rest will be retracted to vertical position. This will occur because the link 333 will rotate the lever 327 in a counterclockwise direction.

Pivoted to portion 336 of arm 329 of lever 327, as at 345, is a connector or link 346 attached as at 346a to one end of a coil tension spring 347 which is connected to member 324 as at 347a. The spring 347 is limp or untensioned when the chair is upright, and tensioned as shown in Fig. 12, when the chair is in reclining position. The spring cushions the end of the reclining movement and aids the initiation of the movement from reclining to upright position.

In Figs. 14 to 17, there is shown a chair d embodying a still further modified form of the invention. In the chair 100 the support 300 may be the same as in Fig. 12. Attached to the inner surface of side Wall 301 is a bracket 350 having a web portion 351 fixed as by screws 352 to said wall 301. Extending forwardly from the web 350 are parallel walls 353. Extending rearwardly from one wall 353 is a foot 354, and extending from the other wall 353 is a foot 355. Pivoted to the wall 354 as on pivot pin 356, is a triangular plate 357.

The pivot 356 may have a head 356:: at one end, and a flanged portion 35612 at its other end. On the rivet 356 and between walls 354 and 357 is a nylon disc 3560, and between wall 357 and the flanged portion 356b is a second nylon disc 356d. These nylon discs serve as friction members and as brakes for slowing the movement of the chair to and from reclining position.

The upper end of the triangular plate 357 is fixed as by screws 358 to a seat 359. It will be noted that the seat 3.59 is made in one piece instead of in two parts as in chairs 10a, 10b and 100. The seat 359 may be upholstered in any suitable way as at 360. Fixed to the back of the seat 359 is a chair back 361, upholstered in any suitable manner as at 362.

Pivoted to foot 355 of bracket 350 as M365, is a lever 366, similar to lever 327 of Fig. 12. The lever 366 has an upwardly extending arm 367, the upper end of which is connected as by link 368 to a pin 369 on the triangular plate 357. Lever 366 has an arm 370 having portions 371 and 372 forming an obtuse angle. On portion 372 of arm 370 of lever 366 is a rivet or pin 374. At the under side of the front end of the seat 359 is a block 375. Pivoted to the block 375 as by pivoted pin 376, is one end of a link 377. Said link 377 is formed with an oversized rivet or hole or small slot 379 (Fig.

l6) receiving pin 374.

Pivoted to wall or foot 355 of bracket 350 and disposed forwardly of the pivot pin 365 is one end of a lever 380. Pivoted to the outer end of said arm 372, as at 381, is a lever 384. The levers 380 and 384 are interpivoted mediately at the ends thereof, as by pivot pin 385, and cross each other. Pivoted to the outer end of lever 384, as at 386, is a foot rest 387. The foot rest 387 is connected by a link 388 to the lower end of the lever 384.

As the seat is moved from upright to reclining position, the seat rotates about the pivot pin 356 causing the link 368 to pull lever 366 in a clockwise direction and projecting the foot rest to the dot-dash line position shown in Fig. 14. Thus, the foot rest is moved from a substantially vertical position below the front end of the seat, to a substantially horizontal, forwardly projecting position. The foot rest 387 may be upholstered in any suitable way, as at 390.

Attached to the arm 371 of lever 366 is one end of a chain 391. The other end of the chain 391 is connected to one end of a coil tension spring 392. The other end of the coil tension spring is attached, as at 393, to the triangular plate 357. When the chair is in upright position, the spring 392 is slack and so is the chain 391. However, when the chair is moved to reclining position, the spring 392 will become tensioned to cushion the end of the reclining movement and when a person desires to move from reclining to upright position, the tension of the spring 392 will aid the initial movement. The distance between the rivets 37-6 and 374 remains substantially constant as the chair moves from upright to reclining position. However, a slight variation in the distance is permitted by the oversized rivet opening or slot 379. When the seat is in upright position, the link 377 rests on the rivet 374 and when the chair is in reclining position, the link 3'77 pulls up on the rivet 374.

The lazy tong mechanism comprising link 91, crossing interpivoted levers and and pivoted arm 70.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. 7 As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A reclining chair comprising a supporting frame, a rear seat part, a front seat part pivoted to the rear seat part, a lever fixed at its upper end to the rear seat part, means to pivot an intermediate portion of the lever to the supporting frame, a link pivoted at one end to the supporting frame, a second link connecting the lower end of the lever with an intermediate part of the first link, a pair of interpivoted crossing levers, one of said pair of crossing levers being pivoted at one end to the supporting frame, a foot rest; a third link connecting the other end of said first of said crossing levers with said foot rest, the other'of said interpivoted levers being pivoted at one end to the foot rest and at another end to the lower end of the first link, and a fourth link interconnecting the first of said crossing levers with said front seat part.

2. The combination of claim 1, said fourth link being pivoted to said first of said crossing levers between the interpivoted connection of said crossing levers and the pivotal connection of the first of said crossing levers to said supporting frame.

3. An article of furniture comprising a supporting frame, a rear seat part pivoted to said supporting frame, a front seat part pivoted to the'rear seat part, a first link pivoted to the supporting frame, a second link connecting the rear seat part with thefirst link, a foot rest, a pair of interpivoted, crossing levers connected to the foot rest, supporting frame and first link, and link means connecting one of said interpivoted levers With the front seat part.

4. The combination of claim 3, in combination With friction brake means interconnecting the rear seat part with the supporting frame.

5. In combination, a supporting frame, arear seat part, a front seat part pivoted at its' rear end to the front end of the rear seat part, means to pivotally connect the rear seat part to the supporting frame, a foot rest, means including lazy tongs to swing the foot rest forwardly and upwardly as the rear seat part is swung backwardly, and means connected to the lazy tongs for causing pivotal movement of the front seat part relative to the rear seat part upon swinging therear seat part backwardly relative. to said supporting frame.

6. The combination of claim 5, in combination with a back restfi'xed to the rear seat part.

7. The combination of claim 6, in combination with friction brake means interposed between the rear seat part and said supporting frame.

8; A reclining chair comprising a supporting frame, a rear seat part, a front seat part, a back rest fixed to the rear seat part, upholstery connected to said front and rear seat parts, a lever fixed at its upper end to the rear seat part, means to pivotally connect an intermediate portion of said lever to said supporting frame, a first link member pivoted at one end to the supporting frame, a second link member connecting the lower end of the lever withan intermediate portion of the first link memher, a pair of interpivoted crossing lever members, one of said pair of crossing lever-members being pivoted at one end to the supporting frame, a foot rest, a third link member connecting the other end of said first of said crossing lever members with the foot rest, the other of said interpivoted lever members being pivoted at one endto the foot rest and at its other end to the first link members, and a fourth link member interconnecting the front seat part with one of said members.

References Cited in'the: file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,276,053 Luckhardt Mar. 10, 1942 2,664,942 Spear Jan. 5, 1954 2,693,845 Hofiman Nov. 9, 1954 

